Patrick Hennessy writes about politics for the Telegraph.

Ain't too proud to Clegg

Nick Clegg has just survived his first appearance as Lib Dem leader at Prime Minister's Questions. He chose the "safe" topic of rising energy prices which allowed him to pose as the champion of ordinary families and aim a few barbs at the government without approaching Vince Cable-like levels of nastiness (Mr Bean, anyone?). Puzzlingly, he wore a red tie, allowing Gordon Brown to raise Labour sniggers by claiming he would be happy to work with him on matters of common interest.

Nick Clegg making his first appearance as party leader at PMQs

Mr Clegg has made a low-key start – but has already given his party a slight boost in the opinion polls, at the expense of David Cameron and the Conservatives. The Clegg-Cameron battle will be one of the key political fights of 2008 and is likely to prove a lot nastier than many people think.